Green Lantern Question for School Paper

[Steeven]

I have to write a persuasive paper for class, and while most people are choosing much weightier topics such as "The Death Penalty bad because . . . " or "Gun Control is bad because . . . ", I've decided to write about comics. Basically it will be a "Comics aren't just for kids because . . . " type of paper, and I need to reference various books as examples. So, that leads me to the question:

Which issue was it that Kyle Rayner's girlfriend was killed and stuffed into a fridge and what were the circumstances, who wrote the storyline, who drew it, what was the girls name, who killed her?

Any and everything you can give me would be good and I think you all in advance.

[stealthwise]

Written by Ron Marz (who has a board here, just scroll to the bottom and ask him tons of questions, I know it's his "favourite" storyline), I believe that Darryl Banks drew it, the girl's name was Alexis Dewitt, who was much more interesting than Kyle, and the villain who killed her was Major Force.

The last GL issues prior to the Rebirth and the relaunch also had a showdown between Kyle and Major Force. Gail Simone (who again has a board here called "You'll All Be Sorry," originally used the refridgerator scene as an example of the trend where female characters get killed or depowered in comics. The site was called "Women in Refrigerators" and if you ask nicely I'm sure she'll tell you all about it.

[CaptainAwesome]

Well I dont know about the GL thing, but I'd say that if you want to do a "Comic arent just for kids..." paper you will want to reference Alan Moore's Watchmen, Darwyne Cooke's DC: New Frontier, Maus, American Splendor, stuff like that. HAving written a few of these kinds of things I'll tell you , wont go right to superheroes. People have a hard time accepting that superheroes arent just for kids, but if you can prove that the medium itself can be mature and grown up first, then people will be more open with teir opinions. But thats just my experience.

[filthysize]

If you want to argue that comics aren't for kids, telling them that it's full of gory and violent moments won't do it.

Like Captain Awesome said, it's easier to persuave people by making an example out of stuff like Maus, Blankets, or Sandman -- stories that are mature not because they have nudity and violence (that's about as juvenile as you can get), but because they're stories for thinking, literate adults.

[aukevin]

congrats on writing a paper about comics in class.

Didn't a Rayner GL have an issue that focused on a gay hate crime. That's not for kids. You can also mention the old Spidey comic that had his friend Harry Osborn using drugs (it was him wasn't it?). You could also mention some of the more adult titles, but I would probably keep it to mainstream characters like GL, Spidey, Supes... Batman titles could be a good topic too since they deal with the loss of family and violent crimes. You also could always spin some topics Superman's way about the deeper issues of his character. He's more than a super-powered being. He feels pressure of being the only one of his race and some humans (even those that are human) can look at him differently sometimes (Batman and Green Arrow come to mind).

Good luck.

[CaptainAwesome]

Well if you have to do "mainstream" characters and books, wasnt Green Arrow's sidekick speedy addicted to heroine, and the new one has HIV?

There are plenty of things superhero things you could use, but you really have to ease people into it. Another good one to start with would be V for Vendetta. Most people in america have heard about that by now, so you already have them hooked.

[Meta 05]

I think the better arguement would be "what comics can kids read".These days thats pretty limited between DC an Marvel,I probably wouldn't let my kids read anything beyond the Marvel Adventures titles , that is if i had any.X-Men is far from kid friendly,yet plenty of parents don't have a problem picking up an issue for thier kids because of the X on the cover.I would let a kid read a mainstream spidey book maybe the fantastic four,DC its highly unlikly.I don't consider books with main chars sleeping around with women sutiable for children in thier early teens, i guess thats a good point,over all DC is definatly more adult oriented, i would sjhy away from mentioning Marvel on this paper thou.

[stealthwise]

congrats on writing a paper about comics in class.

Didn't a Rayner GL have an issue that focused on a gay hate crime. That's not for kids.

Why not? It certainly was written at the pre-adolescent, male-power-fantasy level of complexity.

[CaptainAwesome]

I think the better arguement would be "what comics can kids read".These days thats pretty limited between DC an Marvel,I probably wouldn't let my kids read anything beyond the Marvel Adventures titles , that is if i had any.X-Men is far from kid friendly,yet plenty of parents don't have a problem picking up an issue for thier kids because of the X on the cover.I would let a kid read a mainstream spidey book maybe the fantastic four,DC its highly unlikly.I don't consider books with main chars sleeping around with women sutiable for children in thier early teens, i guess thats a good point,over all DC is definatly more adult oriented, i would sjhy away from mentioning Marvel on this paper thou.
Thats an interesting point. I dont know if i agree with DC being more "adult oriented", but most comics do have a lot of mature themes. I didnt even think about it like that.

[Meta 05]

" I Hope this helps alittle"

I see a few things DC publishes as alright for kids, i am still new to DC but so far with my samplings with all OYL titles the following i would say would be kid friendly.I admit i could be wrong an the direction pre OYL could have different content an story arcs that may not have been suitable.

Robin ((teenage sidekick of batman .Does detective work, the mature content that shows up if any will likly go over a kids head))

BLuebettle(( Teenage superhero gets Super suit with cool abilitys))

Superman(( SUperman fights lex luthor an saves metropolis from bad guys.YOu get the occasional vanilla romance of Lois and CLark))


Jla back issue observation
JLA (( ALL the big guns of the unverse fight Enemy of the month.Its a general action title an avoids serious adult situations given its nature.))


The Following have themes not sutable for teens or preteens

"I don't think the content of these or there story lines would even be interesting for your average teenager" WHether its recent story arcs with SEX, VIOLENCE, POLTICALLY ROOTED STORYS

Teen titans
Green Arrow
Batman /Detective
Green LAntern
Nightwing
Birds Of Prey

[filthysize]

Meta 05 brought up a very good point. I actually don't know a lot of people nowadays who still think that comic books are exclusively for kids. They KNOW that comics have those "adult" moments just like movies. A lot of comic book fans like to argue that comics are not for kids by listing dark stories like The Punisher MAX or Sin City... when most non-comic readers really are not impressed at all by that.

What they do think, however, is that comics are just for adolescent boys -- it's all sexy women and beating the crap out of bad guys and dark twisted stories. They don't know that there are intelligent comics out there. I find that the easiest way to sway non-fans into reading comics (especially the girls) is to get them to read Gaiman's stuff.

PS... I do wish more ORIGINAL kid-oriented comics are available, ones that aren't tie-ins to popular cartoons. To hell with Teen Titans Go!... I miss Young Justice. :(

[Meta 05]

Oh this post thread is getting fun Controversial subjects for college/ high school papers our my fav.

I think you could also have an easier time with forming the picture comics our for adults with the INde publishers especially IMAGE /TOPCOW.Those books have never been designed for a teenage audience despite thier rating.

The biggest reason Spawn the movie sucked was because it was dumbed down as an action movie for kids an lossed nearly every thing in its PG13 translation, no the R tated directors cut changed nothing. I am sure there our a great many inde titles other then this one as well but thats the best example i have

[Alex A Sanchez]

Write about Youngblood man, those guys RULE!!! Tons of blood and R-rated violent action there, and chicks with reaaaally big boobs. No kiddie stuff around here.

[Meta 05]

Write about Youngblood man, those guys RULE!!! Tons of blood and R-rated violent action there, and chicks with reaaaally big boobs. No kiddie stuff around here.


TO finish a few other seires you could reference as adult comics that people would know very well would be

J O'Barr ((CROW)) its something more people have seen most likly.That was based on a comic with a great deal of adult themes



I guess because I like story an characterization more then violence an action none stop, an i am gay.This title just will never work for me.

Its kinda sad I like some of dcs or image concepts but i feel as thou it gives any gay or thats a lesbian a cold shoulder.Every thing just seems so old school Hero gets the girl in the DCU.Warner bros an the WB white shirts that own it certainly seem to make dc a very cold place for gays to want to get in volved in as of late.

[Alex A Sanchez]

TO finish a few other seires you could reference as adult comics that people would know very well would be

J O'Barr ((CROW)) its something more people have seen most likly.That was based on a comic with a great deal of adult themes



I guess because I like story an characterization more then violence an action none stop, an i am gay.This title just will never work for me.

Its kinda sad I like some of dcs or image concepts but i feel as thou it gives any gay or thats a lesbian a cold shoulder.Every thing just seems so old school Hero gets the girl in the DCU.Warner bros an the WB white shirts that own it certainly seem to make dc a very cold place for gays to want to get in volved in as of late.

I was being completely sarcastic- Rob Liefeld stuff has always appealed to junior high aged kids (I was in Junior high when his stuff was über popular), and I think it still does to this day. I would consider something like Fell to be an adult comic book.

[shyguy]

I echo other people's statements. When making the argument that comics aren't for kids, I don't think I'd want to cite something as sensationalistic and ultimately juvenile as the death of Kyle Rayner's girlfriend.

If I were writing a paper like this, I think I'd go indie all the way. Blankets, Persepolis, stuff by Harvey Pekar, R. Crumb, and Chris Ware, etc.

[Paul Newell]

Guys, he asked a quaestion, which was answered. The rest of this discussion is off-topic for this board... So if you are interested in anything the guys suggest, Steeven, please start a new topic on the Community Board. Thanks.